Rules of Cricket for Kids

by
PHILIP FOSTER Sept. 11, 2017

Philip Foster

Philip Foster has been writing professionally since 2010. His work has been featured in the literary-arts magazine "The PEEL" and the weekly newspaper "The Mountain Xpress." Foster is an expert in various extreme sports. He cooked in a restaurant that offered organic and vegetarian cuisine for over three years. Foster received a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from Appalachian State University.

Two versions of cricket are designed to introduce kids to the sport.
Photo Credit: Polka Dot Images/Polka Dot/Getty Images

Cricket is a sport played around the world, with leagues from Europe to Asia to Australia and New Zealand. It has evolved and endured for centuries into the current form we see today. Cricket is a fun pastime for people of all ages -- especially kids, where its relatively simple rules and concepts are ideal for introducing children to competitive athletics and teamwork.

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About Traditional Cricket

Traditionally, cricket is played between two teams of eleven players each. The game usually goes for more than two innings, which can span days. During each inning, the goal of the batting team is to score runs, while the goal of the fielding team is to get the batmen out. Once each batman on the batting team is bowled out, the teams switch sides. For children, traditional cricket can prove tedious, as it involves a lot of waiting between turns at bat. The traditional cricket bat and ball are also hard, heavy and potentially hazardous for young children. Because of this, two variations have been developed to introduce cricket to kids. (Refs 4, 5)

Rules for Kwik Cricket

Kwik Cricket is aimed at children ages five to eleven. It’s played with a plastic bat and ball rather than traditional cricket equipment, and is intended to introduce kids to cricket and teach them basic skills. Players are divided into two teams of eight players. Each team is then divided into four pairs. Bowlers should be encouraged to bowl over-arm if they’re able to, but if not they can bowl underarm. (Ref 2)

Kwik Cricket Scoring

Each member of the fielding team bowls one each. At the start of the game, each team starts with 200 runs, and five runs are deducted from the batting team each time the batsman is given out. This happens if the batter is bowled, caught, stumped, run out, or hits his own wicket. If the bowler bowls a wide or no-ball, the batting is given an extra two runs. Batsmen can also score runs according to traditional cricket rules, by running to the end of the pitch or hitting boundaries. (Ref 1) Additionally, other than the wicketkeeper, no fielder is allowed within 10 yards of the basman during play. (Ref 2).

Rules for Inter Cricket

For 12 to 14 year-olds, Inter Cricket is an intermediate version designed to transition older kids to the traditional form of the sport. The game is played with a soft ball and a traditional cricket bat, and can be played indoors or out. Inter Cricket is played on a smaller scale, with a smaller pitch, shorter running distances, and smaller team sizes. Runs are scored by hitting the ball against a wall, and a free hit is given after a wide or no-ball. (Ref 3).